Collier to retire as ECB chief

David Collier is set to retire from his role as chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Press Association Sport understands.

The 59-year-old has helped to oversee ECB administration during a highly eventful decade, having first taken up his post in October 2004.

On the field in that time, England have won four Ashes series - including down under for the first time in almost a quarter of a century, in 2010/11.

England also went to the top of the International Cricket Council Test rankings in 2012, again for the first time, but have since slipped dramatically from that position and suffered a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia last winter.

There was also a first win in an ICC global tournament on Collier's watch, at the 2010 World Twenty20 in the West Indies.

Off the pitch, Collier played a key role in the lucrative sale of live television rights to a subscription-based broadcaster.

It is understood he will remain in post for the rest of this summer, with an interim appointment in the offing.

Collier's anticipated departure is another high-profile change in ECB management personnel since the end of last year.

Paul Downton was appointed as managing director, following Hugh Morris' move back to Glamorgan, before England's embarrassingly unsuccessful Ashes campaign in Australia.

In the aftermath of that disappointment, team director Andy Flower resigned that post and took another with the ECB.

He and limited-overs coach Ashley Giles were then replaced by the returning Peter Moores, back in charge of the England team in all formats.

More controversially, England severed all ties with their mercurial batsman and former captain Kevin Pietersen - citing an issue of trust as a reason why he would not be playing for his adopted country again.

Alastair Cook was retained as captain but has endured a tricky start to his and Moores' 'new era' - and England have not won a Test match since they clinched the 2013 Ashes in Durham last August, losing six of eight since then and two series.